Posts filed under ‘campaigns’

Who could resist talking to these polite kids? Well they phoned Bill Shorten’s office last Friday (Feb 8) while outside (I was there and heard the call), and the staffer hung up on them, then put the office phone line on Messagebank.

Bill Shorten should make a time to listen to the kids and their grievances and demands. That should be an essential part of his duties as an MP, Leader of the Opposition, and Prospective future Prime Minister. As a former Union leader he should know that strikers demands should at the very minimum be listened too, and that should have been an essential part of his former job to represent those demands to employers.

Come on Bill, give these kids a hearing so they can discuss the climate crisis, their future and put their basic demands to you.(more…)

Climate Emergency
The Paris Climate Agreement aspirational target limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is starting to look unachievable. Even meeting the hard target of 2 degrees, which will still result in huge damage (e.g. probable loss of the Great Barrier Reef), will require governments everywhere to lift their game.

Greenhouse Emissions from Transport
Transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse emissions, amounting to 19 per cent Australia wide, and 25.8 per cent of emissions in Moreland in 2013-14. Here too, governments at all levels need to lift their game.

Major Change in Priorities for Transport Infrastructure
At the state level we think a major shift is needed in Transport infrastructure funding. In 2018 Roads funding was 69.1 per cent, Public Transport 30.5 per cent and Active Transport just 0.36 per cent. There needs to be a major priority change in this area to meet climate targets.(more…)

At the City of Moreland Council Meeting on 12th September, Councillors unanimously adopted a resolution acknowledging that “we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including local Councils.”

Convenor of Climate Action Moreland John Englart said “This is a landmark decision by Moreland Council that takes account of the need for rapid action and leadership on climate change”

“While leadership has been sorely lacking by the Federal Government for the last 5 years, we are pleased that our local government is filling the void on a local level and is following our neighbours in Darebin in adopting a climate emergency framework.” he said

It’s just a quick trip on the No 19 tram down Sydney Road and get off at Princes Park. Or come by bike down the Upfield Bikepath, or along the inner city rail reserve from the east or Capital City Trail from the west to Princes Park.(more…)

In the lead up to the United Nations Climate Conference, COP23, in Bonn Germany in November, the Australian ambassador for climate is touring Pacific Island nations touting Australia’s climate action credentials.

Pacific Civil society have called out the ambassador Patrick Suckling, and Australia’s climate policies, with a new award that highlights Australia’s ongoing promotion of fossil fuels.

The inaugural ‘Pacific Fossil Award’, was given to Australia for repeated efforts to convince Pacific island countries that Australia is serious about tackling climate change, even while making the problem worse by expanding coal exports, and promoting the use of coal abroad.(more…)

In a statement today the Commonwealth Bank effectively ruled out funding for the giant Adani Carmichael coal mine. This is a win for the broad campaign to stop Adani.

A Commonwealth Bank spokesperson said, “We have been asked about our role in funding the Adani Carmichael mine. Whilst in general we do not comment on specific clients, we can confirm that we are not amongst the banks who have been, or will be, asked to consider this financing,” according to an Australian Financial Review report.

While in Wills our Federal Labor MP Peter Khalil has publicly opposed the Adani mine, we are interested in moving the ALP to a stronger position with regard to the Adani Carmichael mine. We have written to the Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) to see if we can assist in this regard.

Firstly, we would like to find out LEAN’s position on the issue of Adani’s Carmichael mine. Does LEAN oppose the mine? If not, why not? If so, what is LEAN doing about it and how is LEAN proposing to use Labor Party processes to get Labor to adopt the only environmentally responsible position on the project – i.e. that the mine is so dangerous to humanity that it must never be built?

We welcome the valuable policy and lobbying work being done by LEAN members inside the ALP on climate policy. We have requested a meeting with a LEAN delegation based in Melbourne to discuss strategy, and to find areas of potential overlap and support.